WEBVTT MATT SHELLY.PYOU CAN STILL SEE SOME OF THEPDAMAGE LEFT BEHIND FROM THISPFIREPCHARRED PEWS, CHARRE CHAIRSPFLOORS AND WALLS.PTHANKFULLY NO ONE WAS HURT, BUTPTHE CHURCH HAS A LOT TO REBUILD.P>> I WAS LIKE, OUR CHURCHES ONPFIRE.PMATT JOY LIGHT CHURCH MEMBERSP: PAINFULLY WATCHED A FIREPDESTROY THEIR SANCTUARY THISPAFTERNOON.PA SANCTUARY THAT'S BEEN AROUND,PSINCE THE 1950'S.P>> I WAS HOPING IT WASN'T TRUE.PMATT ALBUQUERQUE FIRE SAYS CREWSP: RUSHED TO THE CHURCH AFTERPNEIGHBORS SAW SMOKE BILLOWINGPOUT OF ITS WINDOWS.PBUT BY THE TIME THEY GPEVERYTHING UNDER CONTROL --P>> THERE'S GOING TO BE EXTENSIVEPWATER DAMAGE THERE IS GOING TOBE DAMAGE TO THE WALLS ANDPTHERE'S GOING TO BE SIGNIFICANTPSMOKE DAMAGE THROUGHOUT THE RESTOF THE STRUCTURE.PMATT THE DAMAGE HAD ALREADY BEENP: DONE.PTHE CHURCH'S PASTOR COULDN'TPBELIEVE WHAT HE WAS SEEING.P>> VERY DEVASTATING.PWE'VE BEEN HERE SINCE 1990 ANDPHAVE NEVER HAD A FIRE ORPBREAKING.PMATT: JOY LIGHT HAS STOOD THEPTEST OF TIME.PIT WAS BUILT IN 1952, AND IT'SPMEMBERS HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GETPIT RECOGNIZED AS A HISTORICALPLANDMARK.PBUT THE HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCEPDOESN'T STOP THERE.PCHURCH MEMBERS TELL US IT HAD APHUGE ROLE DURING THE CIVILPRIGHTS MOVEMENT HERE INPALBUQUERQUE.P>> IT WASN'T JUST A PLACE OFPWORSHIP BUT A PLACE WHERE THEPBLACK COMMUNITY COULD BE SAFE INPMEETING BECAUSE PUBLICPRESTAURANTS, THEY COULDN'T MEETPTHEIR, BECAUSE THEY WOULD GETPTHROWN OUT.PMATT AS THE SUN WENT DOWN, FIREP: CREWS CLEARED THE SCENE.PRIGHT NOW IT'S NOT CLEAR HOW THEPFIRE STARTED AND INVESTIGATORSPSAY ARSON HASN'T BEEN RULED OUTPYET.PAS FOR THE CHURCH'S PASTOR --P>> I JUST HOPE IT WAS ANPACCIDENT AND NO ONE DELIBERATELYPDESTROYED THE CHURCH.PWE PREACH FAITH, W ENCOURAGEPFAITH AND I BELIEVE GOD HASPSOMETHING BETTER FOR US.PMATT: CHURCH OFFICIALS TELL MEPTHAT THEY WILL BE WORKING TOPFIND A NEW PLACE TO HOLDPSERVICES IN THE COMING DAY

Fire crews responded to a fire that heavily damaged the Joy Light Church Monday afternoon.
The church is located near Arno Street Southeast and Santa Fe Street Southeast.
When crews arrived on scene, heavy smoke was coming from the church. They were able to contain the fire within minutes and thankfully no one was inside during the incident.
The church is structurally unharmed, but the inside of the sanctuary suffered extensive smoke and water damage.
Albuquerque Fire Department officials say that some walls were also damaged to keep the fire from spreading.
The church's pastor, Claude Bell, was saddened to see the damage.
"It's devastating. We've never had a fire or a break-in," Bell said. "You look at this and just say, 'what happened?'"
Bell has been the pastor of Joy Light since 1990. The church itself has stood the test of time, and remains a historical place in Albuquerque.
It was built in the 1950's, and played a significant role in the Civil Rights Movement according to church members.
Bell's family told Action 7 News that the church served as a place for African-Americans to gather and worship safely in the city.
The church will start looking for a new place to hold services in the coming days, and will notify its members of changes.
The cause of the fire has not been released, and no injuries were reported. Investigators have not ruled out arson, yet.
Support the church's GoFundMe

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. —

Fire crews responded to a fire that heavily damaged the Joy Light Church Monday afternoon.

The church is located near Arno Street Southeast and Santa Fe Street Southeast.

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When crews arrived on scene, heavy smoke was coming from the church. They were able to contain the fire within minutes and thankfully no one was inside during the incident.

The church is structurally unharmed, but the inside of the sanctuary suffered extensive smoke and water damage.

Albuquerque Fire Department officials say that some walls were also damaged to keep the fire from spreading.

The church's pastor, Claude Bell, was saddened to see the damage.

"It's devastating. We've never had a fire or a break-in," Bell said. "You look at this and just say, 'what happened?'"

Bell has been the pastor of Joy Light since 1990. The church itself has stood the test of time, and remains a historical place in Albuquerque.

It was built in the 1950's, and played a significant role in the Civil Rights Movement according to church members.

Bell's family told Action 7 News that the church served as a place for African-Americans to gather and worship safely in the city.

The church will start looking for a new place to hold services in the coming days, and will notify its members of changes.

The cause of the fire has not been released, and no injuries were reported. Investigators have not ruled out arson, yet.